Twist of Fate
by Adriannu255
Summary: This is what would have happened if Kratos had taken Lloyd to Derris-Kharlan during the first visit to the Tower. Will Lloyd become a member of Cruxis, or will he reject the offer and allow himself to be killed instead? Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Adriannu255: I had this idea in my head since before Christmas but working on two stories and school kept me from typing it. I had ideas written down for chapters 1 & 2 just didn't have time to put it on the computer.

Disclaimer: I do not owe Tales of Symphonia or anything related to it, sadly.

**Twist of Fate**

Chapter 1

They were in the Tower of Salvation, a soulless Chosen with pink and purple wings floating above them. Lloyd and his friends looked at the purple-clad mercenary who was standing near Colette.

"We will take the Chosen as the new body for Martel." Kratos said emotionlessly.

"Kratos what are you talking about?! Answer me!" Lloyd yelled, desperate.

"Lord Kratos," Remiel gasped from his position on the ground, "have pity on me. Please, lend me your aid." Everyone looked at Remiel in surprise that he would address a human, a race he believed was beneath him, as his superior.

Kratos glared at the fallen angel and answered, "Have you forgotten that I was once one of the inferior human race? Do you really seek help from what you despise the most?"

Remiel took one last gasping breath and fell to the ground limply.

The group once again directed their attention to the 'mercenary', while Lloyd ran to the foot of the platform, glaring.

Kratos glared back, "Get out of the way!"

"Kratos," Lloyd was shaking with anger and fear, "who are you?!"

Everyone was horrified at his reply.

As white feathers began to surround him and his back began to glow, he revealed the truth that he had kept hidden through the entire journey, "I am an angel of Cruxis, the organization that guides this world." Light filled the room, and when it faded, wings were protruding from his back. They weren't like normal wings, since they were light blue, glowed slightly, and were segmented as though made from pure mana." I am one of the Four Seraphim," Kratos continued, "sent forth to keep close watch over the Chosen."

"What?!" Genis shouted. "You're an angel, too?!"

"I can't believe this…" Raine spoke barely above a whisper.

"You deceived us!" Sheena hissed venomously.

"You're not going to get Colette unless you kill us first!" Lloyd shouted with absolute hatred. He then, jumped up to the platform with Sheena, but Kratos had anticipated this act from them and easily countered their attacks.

"You earnestly believe that you can defeat me?" he asked them, though he already knew the answer.

"No," Lloyd replied, "but we're not going to just let you take her while we can still fight!"

As they fought Lloyd realized that Kratos was holding back. He was certainly more powerful than he had revealed he was before now, but Lloyd could tell that wasn't all his strength. What was worse was that he dodged, blocked, and countered their attacks with ease.

_Just how powerful is he?_ Lloyd thought angrily, as Sheena began her long chant to summon Undine.

Kratos was attacking with speed they had never expected, even from a swordsman of his caliber. Even his spells were charging up twice as fast as Raine and Genis's were.

Eventually, Raine was severely injured by a Grave spell. "No! Sis!" Genis screamed as Raine fell, blood falling down her arms and the side of her head. Without another thought, he rushed up the platform toward Kratos, seeking revenge.

Kratos easily parried the young mage's kendama and delivered a kick sending Genis flying back off the platform to where Sheena was summoning Undine. He began to cast an Air Thrust spell, but was stopped by a fiery pain in his leg, and he fell to the ground. He turned a saw Lloyd.

Lloyd was about to speak, but he heard Sheena finish her chant, "I call upon the Maiden of the Mist!" This hesitation was all Kratos needed to heal himself. "I summon thee, come Undine!" A blue seal shone at her feet as the water spirit appeared and used multiple Spread attacks.

Kratos, amazingly, dodged each attack, and continued to fight Lloyd while Genis and Raine tried to recover from their injuries, and Sheena tried to regain the mana she lost by summoning.

Raine finally regained enough strength to get up and was about to charge up Nurse when she saw twin swords fall from the upper platform. Everyone looked up and gasped. Lloyd was standing in front of Kratos, unarmed, and Kratos had his sword pointed at his neck.

"No! Lloyd!" Raine screamed.

"Damn!" Lloyd eyed the sword that was inches from ending his life.

Kratos seemed to be thinking over whether or not to kill Lloyd. He then did something unexpected: he dropped his sword to the floor. Lloyd looked at the weapon and saw Kratos back away from him with a pained expression on his face. "I can't do it," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

"W-what?" Lloyd stared at him in disbelief. After all that, Kratos couldn't kill him? He was about to question the enigmatic angel, when he saw a sphere of light descend to the platform. There was a blinding flash, and a very feminine-looking man (hahah), with blue eyes, blond hair that almost reached his waist, and segmented, rainbow-colored wings on his back and smaller ones on his wrists, appeared.

He smirked at Kratos, who eyed him in what could almost be described as fear. The newcomer spoke to him in an amused tone, "So not even you can bring yourself to finish them. I'm surprised."

"Lord Yggdrasil," Kratos replied, "you can't expect me to kill my… him…" he narrowed his eyes toward Lloyd as he spoke.

"Another...angel?" Sheena looked like she wanted nothing more than to die right there, rather than fight another angel.

"Ah, so you're Lloyd?" Yggdrasil smirked at Lloyd.

Lloyd glared. "Give me your name and I'll give you mine."

"I don't need to introduce myself to a dog!" Yggdrasil countered. "But," he continued when Kratos sent him a death glare at the 'dog' comment, "considering who your father is I suppose I will tell you my name. I am Yggdrasil, leader of Cruxis _and_ the Desians."

"Cruxis _and _Desians?" Genis echoed, confused.

"What do you mean 'considering who my father is'?" Lloyd stared at Yggdrasil, completely lost. "Are you saying that you know my father?"

Yggdrasil turned to Kratos. "Well, Kratos, will you tell him? Or do I have to tell him for you?"

"…If I may, I could take him to Derris-Kharlan and tell him everything there?"

"That is fine with me," Yggdrasil glided to where the rest of the group stood. "Take him and tell him everything he needs to know. I will take care of his friends."

"Oh no you won't" Lloyd shouted. As he was about to jump from the platform, he felt something slam into the back of his head.

The last thing he heard before he blacked out was Kratos's voice. "I'm sorry, Lloyd."

Adriannu255: Well there's the first chapter. The next one won't be up for a while since I'm writing two other stories at the time and it's hard to think along three different storylines, but I'll update as soon often as I can. Please review, but no flames.


	2. Chapter 2

Adriannu255: Sorry for the wait, but I was swarmed with orders from my teachers to study for the graduation tests that came up last week. I tried to type as often as I could, but I didn't want to take a chance of failing. Anyway here's chapter 2, when Lloyd makes his decision.

Disclaimer: I don't owe ToS. If I did there would be a prequel made where Kratos is the main character!

* * *

Chapter 2

When Lloyd woke up he was no longer in the Tower of Salvation. The room he was in had walls made from blue-tinted metal. He realized that he was laying down on something surprisingly soft, considering his surroundings: a bed.

"Ugh…my head…" he groaned as he sat up. "Where am I?"

"You are at Derris-Kharlan," a familiar voice spoke from his left.

Lloyd turned and saw Kratos in a chair nearby. "You?! Why did you bring me here?! What did you do to the others?! Why did you betray us?!" Lloyd was going to get his answers here and now.

"Calm down!" Kratos took on a commanding tone, and then softened. "I will tell you whatever you want to know. Just ask one question at a time."

Lloyd took a few deep breaths, and began his interrogation. "What did you do to the others? Did you kill them?"

Kratos sighed, "I did not do anything to them. Lord Yggdrasill killed them as far as I know, but Colette was rescued by an organization called the Renegades."

"You mean my friends are-! Wait, Renegades?" Lloyd went from angry to confused in an instant.

"Do you remember the base you were taken to after being captured in Triet?" Lloyd nodded. "That was the Renegades' Sylvarant base." Kratos took a deep breath, "The Renegades is an organization whose members look almost identical to the Desians. They are dedicated to fighting us, the Cruxis."

Lloyd was having trouble processing the information, but continued questioning the angel. "What did Yggdrasill mean back in the Tower? He said that he knew my dad." Kratos looked at the ground. "Was he telling the truth? Does he really know my father? Do you know him?"

Kratos then sighed, "Lloyd, I don't think you are ready to accept the truth." He wouldn't look at Lloyd, as though ashamed.

"How would you know what I am and what I'm not ready for?"

"I know a lot more than you think I do." Lloyd gave him a confused look and Kratos sighed and revealed his biggest and most important secret, "Lloyd… I'm your father."

"Wha…?" Lloyd stared at him in disbelief. "But…you betrayed us, you made Colette suffer…"

"I understand that it is hard to accept, but it is the truth whether you believe it or not." Kratos started to leave, but stopped when Lloyd spoke up.

"Wait." Kratos turned. "Kvar said that…my dad killed Mom. Was that true, or was he trying to destroy the vision I had of my dad?"

Kratos looked at the ground. "Though it pains me to say it…it's true; I killed Anna," a tear fell from his eyes. "She… After she was turned into a monster when her exsphere was removed, she begged me to kill her in order to stop her from killing you, Noishe, and me."

Lloyd looked away, thinking over what he had just been told, as Kratos sat back down. "But how can _you_ be my dad, I mean come on! You're old enough to be my _older brother_!"

"There's a lot more I need to tell you…" Kratos then proceeded to tell Lloyd everything about the Kharlan War, his role in it, Mithos Yggdrasil, Martel, Yuan, and the rise of Cruxis.

"So…" Lloyd looked like his brain was ready to explode, "you're a hero from four thousand years ago, one of the companions of the Hero Mithos who is a half-elf and became the leader of Cruxis?"

Kratos nodded.

Lloyd continued, "The Goddess Martel is actually Mithos's older sister who was engaged to one of your friends named Yuan? And the Desians are part of the same organization as Cruxis, whose only goal is to revive Martel by using Colette as her vessel?"

"Well, you forgot one thing: Mithos wants to create a world without discrimination, which was Martel's final wish." He looked at ground grimly. "But he twisted what she said and wants to create what he calls the Age of Lifeless Beings."

"What's a lifeless being?"

Kratos was stopped from his reply by a knock at his door. He stood up and opened it. It was a female angel. "Lord Kratos, Lord Yggdrasil wishes to see you and your son once you have explained everything to him." She spoke monotonously.

"Tell him I am almost done," Kratos commanded.

"Yes, my lord," the angel bowed and left.

Kratos closed the door and sat down. "That is an example of a lifeless being. Purged of all emotions and feelings. Just…a walking, talking shell."

"That's horrible!" Lloyd stood up and looked at his father. "Yggdrasil wants to turn everyone in Sylvarant into one of those?!"

"Nit just Sylvarant… Tethe'alla as well."

Lloyd looked at the ground. "Why did you bring me here?" Lloyd decided to push the Lifeless Age out of his mind for now.

"The only way you could live was for me to bring you here and give you a choice."

"What choice?"

"Become a member of Cruxis or Yggdrasil will not hesitate to kill you, and I won't be able to stop him this time."

"Wait, you're asking me to become a Lifeless Being?!" Lloyd's anger flared once more.

"No! I would never ask that of you! I'm asking you to become an angel like me."

"How can you do that?" Lloyd calmed down, curious about how he could become an angel.

"Well, there's a special Key Crest I have in here that I can put on your exsphere; it will accelerate its growth and turn it into a Cruxis Crystal."

Lloyd thought for a few seconds before asking, "will I gain angel senses like you and Colette? Like better hearing and eyesight, but stop feel pain, hot, and cold?"

"Yes, but you will start feeling again once your body adjusts to the changes." Kratos smiled a little.

It was another few minutes of thinking later, that Lloyd made his decision.

"Alright," he spoke firmly, "I'll do it. My friends are dead, so there's nothing else I _can_ do, not now at least."

Kratos stood up and walked over to a small desk in the corner of the room. He rummaged though one of the drawers, and pulled out something that looked like a Key Crest, but had different charms carved into it and instead of being gold it was blue tinted with green.

As he walked back to Lloyd he told him, "Take off both your exsphere and Crest."

Lloyd did so and handed them to Kratos, who took the old Crest off and the new one on the exsphere.

"This might hurt a little," Kratos warned his son. "After all, you're going to go through the entire angel transformation at once, minus losing your voice."

He attached the exsphere to Lloyd's hand, and after about two seconds, Lloyd felt pain shoot through his entire body, but it stopped as fast as it started.

Lloyd fell to the floor and Kratos heard a muffled, "That…hurt…bad…" come from the boy.

"I'm sorry…" Kratos then saw something that pleased him, and he smirked. "But it worked."

Lloyd stood up and asked, "How can you tell?"

"Well, you eyes have a reddish tint, like mine, and, well, just look behind you," he continued to smirk.

Lloyd turned his head and gasped. He had sprouted wings that looked exactly like the older angel's, except that his were red(1). "This…is so awesome!"

* * *

(1) I thought Lloyd would look so much cooler if he had red wings that were just like his daddy's.

Adriannu: Well, there ya have it! Lloydie is now a member of Cruxis! Hopefully this made up for the long wait, which I apologize for again. Please review, but no flames, although I accept constructive criticism!

See ya next chapter, which will pick up with Raine and the others with the Renegades!


	3. Chapter 3

Adriannu255: Okay I know I mentioned that I would pick up with Raine and the others, but I've decided to do that much later than I'd planned

Adriannu255: Okay I know I mentioned that I would pick up with Raine and the others, but I've decided to do that much later than I'd planned. Don't know when that will happen or where they'll be, but it'll happen later. After this there won't be many updates until MAYBE late June but I can't promise anything. My summer job starts on June 8th and ends July 27th and band camp starts on the 28th. Sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't ToS and never will.

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Chapter 3

"Okay so why does Yggdrasil want to see me?" Lloyd questioned his father as they walked through Welgaia to the warp that would take them to Vinheim (is that spelled right?).

"I don't know," Kratos replied. "But try to remember to address him as _Lord_ Yggdrasil when speaking to him."

Lloyd sighed, "Fine, I'll try."

When they reached the throne room, they both knelt down in front Yggdrasil. He smirked and motioned for them to stand. "Show me your wings, Lloyd."

"Yes…Lord Yggdrasil…" Lloyd said through gritted teeth, and revealed his wings, without looking at him.

"Look at me," Yggdrasil commanded as he walked toward Lloyd. Lloyd obeyed and Yggdrasil smiled in satisfaction. "Very good. Kratos, your son will be a valuable ally once he is trained up a little."

"'Trained up'?" Kratos looked at Yggdrasil, confused. Lloyd tilted his head slightly, but remained silent.

"Yes," Yggdrasil continued to smile. "You are to train him in using magic, and also help him improve his swordplay."

"Yes, Lord Yggdrasil. Would you like me to begin right away?"

"Yes, but do it in Tethe'alla. Let Lloyd see the flourishing world."

Kratos and Lloyd bowed once more before leaving. Once they were out of earshot…

"I hate him, already!" Lloyd shouted.

"Lloyd, don't say that here!" Kratos warned quickly.

"He's the guy who killed my friends, Dad," Lloyd spoke in a normal, quieter tone. "You can't expect me to forgive him for that?"

"I don't and I never will expect that," he led Lloyd back to his room to retrieve their weapons, "but I do expect that you at least _act_ like you respect him while in his presence."

Lloyd sighed again, as they walked into Kratos's room. They were silent as they got their weapons and walked to the warp that would take them to Tethe'alla. When they were warped there, Lloyd gasped.

"Wait a minute!" He looked around. "This is the Tower of Salvation!"

"Oh…I forgot to mention that," Kratos remembered. "I told you the two worlds were once one, right?" Lloyd nodded. "Well, the two worlds are connected at this place. The Tower of Salvation in Sylvarant and the Tower of Salvation in Tethe'alla are the same place."

"How is that possible?!"

"It doesn't matter," Kratos shook his head. "We'll go to the field in front of the Tower to practice. Come."

When they left the Tower, the entrance sealed itself and the stairs leading to the entrance disappeared.

When they were a few miles away from the Tower, they stopped and Kratos turned around. "I've already taught you everything I can about swordplay. Now, it's time for you to learn magic."

"But I thought humans couldn't use magic." Lloyd looked confused.

"You are not human, anymore," Kratos reminded his son.

"Oh," Lloyd looked at his Cruxis Crystal, "right. But there's one thing I forgot to ask. If you were trying to hind your identity as an angel, why did you use magic during the journey?"

"None of you ever questioned it, so it wasn't a problem," Kratos shrugged. "Now let's get started…"

--

Lloyd knelt down panting, "It's just…a level one…spell." He looked up as Kratos walked toward him. "…Why is it so hard… Genis can…cast it like it's…nothing."

"You've never used magic before. Your body isn't used this," Kratos informed him. "Don't feel bad. It took me months before I was able to cast a Lightning spell." Lloyd looked at him, a little surprised. "It shouldn't take you as long as it took me."

"What do you mean?" Lloyd finally caught his breath.

"Well, I ordered some of the angels to do some research on half-angels while you were asleep. What they found out was that, though it is extremely rare, it is possible for a half-angel to be born from a human and an angel. I asked how we could find out if you were a half-angel."

"Wait, why did you need to find out," Lloyd was confused. "Mom was a human and you're an angel. So…"

"I said it's _possible_," Kratos sighed. "You could have just been a normal human child. Most of the time, the angelic blood could remain dormant for their entire lives, and never become evident."

"Oh," Lloyd looked at the ground. "How did you find out?"

"They needed some of your blood, and some of mine. If yours was identical to mine, meaning it was active, that meant that you are a half-angel. If it was similar but not identical, then you weren't."

"Which was it?" Lloyd asked eagerly.

"It was identical," Kratos smiled. "You're a half-angel. Since you have active angelic blood, you should be able to cast spells in a matter of days. If you practice hard enough."

"Really?!" Lloyd's energy immediately returned. "Then, let's keep training!" He stood up.

Kratos stood as well. "Heh, that's the spirit."

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Adriannu255: And there's chapter 3! Hope everyone liked it! I know it's short, but this seemed like a good place to end it. Please review! I try to get the next chapter up late June. No promises, though.


	4. Chapter 4

Adriannu255: I am so sorry about the wait. I had work combined with writers block…and being hooked on doing almost nothing but watch Lord of the Rings all day didn't help. I sincerely hope this makes up for the long wait! Again, I apologize!

**Note: Bold is flashback.**

Disclaimer: Same as always.

Enjoy!

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Chapter 4

"Wow…" Lloyd looked around in awe. "I've never seen so much snow!"

Kratos had decided to give Lloyd a break after training for quite a long time. He took him to Flanior…teaching him how to fly on the way there.

"It's always snowing here," Kratos commented. "This is actually the place where you were born, if you care to know."

"What?" Lloyd looked shocked. "I was born in Tethe'alla?"

"Yes," Kratos smiled and nodded. "I brought Anna to Tethe'alla after I married her and we stayed here. You were born a little over a year later."

"Wow…but why did you guys return to Sylvarant? Mom died in the Iselia Forest, right?"

"We were found by one of the Five Grand Cardinals, Rodyle. He wasn't searching for us; he just knew that Kvar was." Kratos looked up to the sight-seeing terrace. "He told Kvar where we were three years after we had arrived. We travelled around Tethe'alla and eventually made it to the Otherworldly Gate, another link between the worlds. We made it through and travelled as quickly as we could to the Iselia Forest, to get a Key Crest made for Anna. I had heard about Dirk and knew he would be able to help. With a Key Crest the exsphere would be useless to Kvar. But we were cornered and…"

"Yeah… I… I know the rest…" Lloyd looked at his father. "Thanks for telling me, Dad."

Kratos smiled at his son.

--

"Alright, I think I'm getting the hang of this," Lloyd said excitedly. It was the fourth day of training and Lloyd was finally getting close to casting his first spell. His angelic senses were becoming evident. He was able to sense mana like the elves and half-elves, making his spell casting a little easier, and he was hearing better and seeing farther.

"You had a lot of sparks that time, so give it another go," Kratos smiled.

Lloyd took up a casting stance and a purple spell circle appeared beneath him. He then pointed his finger toward an invisible target, as he had done continuously over the last few days, and shouted, "Lightning!" A bolt of lightning came down and struck the ground melting the snow away leaving only charred earth behind to be covered by fresh snow. "I did it!" Lloyd shouted happily.

"You cast your first spell. Congratulations, but you still have a lot to learn. Learning the basics will be enough for Lord Yggdrasil, for now. Even he knows that level two spells can take their toll on a beginner so we'll hold off on those."

"Alright…" Lloyd got over his excitement at the mention of his new leader's name. "I guess I should get started on the next one?"

"Cast Lightning a few more times successfully and then we'll start on Wind Blade…"

As this was happening, the rest of the group was on the other side of the world, with two new companions, travelling across the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge.

"Alright it's time for me to decide everyone's nicknames!" Zelos, the red-headed, perverted Chosen, shouted. "Genis is Brat, Colette is Miss Angel, and Presea is Rosebud!" The females stared at him blankly while Genis glared at him furiously. "And Raine is Super Ultra Cool Gorgeous Beauty!"

"No," Raine stated flatly.

"Oh," Zelos looked bewildered. "Her Highness, then?"

"Zelos if you're going to call me something other than my name, make it something normal," Raine sighed.

Genis snapped, "My sister is 'The Professor' alright?" He was tired of how carefree Zelos was in this very serious situation.

Lloyd was gone, taken by Kratos in the Tower, and they had two lifeless girls, one speaking monotonously, the other never speaking at all, only defending herself when in danger.

"'The Professor'? Hm…" Zelos smiled. "The Bewitching Female Teacher! Heheheh!"

Raine hung her head, "I give up…" and continued walking.

"Alright, Professor Raine it is!" Zelos declared happily.

"Whatever…" Raine could tell this was going to be very stressful.

As they continued in silence Raine thought over what she overheard in the Tower…

**"What do you mean 'considering who my father is'?" Lloyd stared at Yggdrasil, completely lost. "Are you saying that you know my father?"**

**Yggdrasil turned to Kratos. "Well, Kratos, will you tell him? Or do I have to tell him for you?"**

**"…If I may, I could take him to Derris-Kharlan and tell him everything there?"**

**"That is fine with me," Yggdrasil glided to where the rest of the group stood. "Take him and tell him everything he needs to know. I will take care of his friends."Yggdrasil approached smirking maliciously.**

_Lloyd's father is more than likely Kratos. Lloyd may not have caught on, but it was obvious from the way Kratos acted in the Tower, and what that…Yggdrasil said leaves little doubt. If that's true, Lloyd probably thinks we're dead. He might be a member of Cruxis by now. She was extremely troubled by that thought. Even though he is harsh, I don't think Kratos is cruel enough to let his son die._

Lloyd's resolve had to have been weakened by the thought of them being dead. He was easy prey for the angels…

"What's wrong Raine?" Genis asked, noticing her troubled expression. "Still worried about Lloyd?"

"…" Raine's answer was a single nod. She had expressed her thoughts to Genis and Sheena after waking up in the Sylvarant Base, including her suspicions of the bond between the two swordsmen.

"Raine, you said it yourself," Genis continued. "Kratos won't, intentionally, let anyone harm Lloyd. Even during the journey, we could tell he cares about Lloyd."

"I guess you're right, Genis," Raine sighed and closed her eyes. "Worrying isn't going to help," she reasoned with herself.

"You guys always get so depressed when talking about that Lloyd kid," Zelos said, suddenly being serious. "Were you guys close to him, or somethin'?"

Genis turned to him, with a cold, but sad, stare, "Yeah, we grew up together, but he was taken by Cruxis in the Tower of Salvation. We don't know what happened to him after that…"

"Oh…" Zelos looked away, but then smiled. "There's the end of the bridge!" He then broke into a run, and everyone followed, continuing their journey to Sybak.

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Adriannu255: Well, how was it? I'm desperate to know. Since the next update will (hopefully) be sometime in late July, everyone have a great Fourth of July! My second favorite holiday! FIREWORKS!! YAY!! (My brothers turned me into a pyromaniac…)

Ja mata!


	5. Chapter 5

Adriannu255: Well, it's been a long time, but I'm finally back. I am terribly sorry this took so long, for anyone who might still be reading this, I will try not to keep you waiting. So here is the completed version of chapter five!

**IMPORTANT! I know I said I wouldn't keep you waiting, but I have to be fair to my other readers… I have a poll in my profile right now that asks what stories I should work on most for the moment. Whichever story gets the most votes will be the one I give most priority to. Second place will be updated as soon as I'm half-way through the winner. So if you want to see more updates from this one soon (or on another of my stories), please vote!**

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tales characters or locations. I do however own Sephiran, my OC appearing in this chapter.

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Chapter 5

"You certainly picked up flying easier than spell-casting," Kratos observed as he and Lloyd flew over Gaorrachia Forest on their way to Sybak. Kratos had decided that while they were training he would also show Lloyd all the cities and villages in Tethe'alla.

"Well, I guess I just have an affinity for flying," Lloyd smiled, though the smile faded as he thought of something. "Dad, you said Sybak is a place where most scholars from all around Tethe'alla go to study, right?"

Kratos nodded, deciding not to say anything.

"I wonder if Raine and Genis would have liked it…" Lloyd stopped trying not to think about his friends' fate.

"Lloyd…" Kratos noticed the tears that threatened to fall from his son's eyes, and felt his parental instincts take over. Lloyd halted as Kratos flew closer and placed a hand on his shoulder. Kratos flew in front of him, his own eyes filled with despair at seeing Lloyd suffer like this. "Lloyd… I am so sorry…" He pulled his child into a loving embrace.

"You don't have to apologize…" Lloyd said as he struggled to not cry. "It wasn't your fault…"

"If I had not led all of you to the Tower of Salvation-"

"Dad," Lloyd stopped him quickly, "You can't keep blaming yourself for everything bad that's happened to me! All of it is something that is out of your control!" Lloyd was finally able to force the tears back, as Kratos broke their embrace. _Just stop thinking about them! They're dead and Colette is missing… It's…no use dwelling in the past…_

Kratos stared at Lloyd for a long moment, until Lloyd looked up with a small smile. "I'll be fine, don't worry."

**A few hours later…**

"It looks…kinda like a geek convention…" Lloyd commented upon seeing the city.

"Well, almost everybody here has a connection to the Academy…" Kratos sighed. "Including me…"

"You?" Lloyd looked at his father stunned. He lowered his voice so as not to be overheard. "Does Cruxis have an insider or something?" He was half-joking, but was surprised when Kratos answered, completely serious.

"You could say that," Kratos shrugged. "That's another reason we're coming here. I want you to meet him. He was a good friend of mine during the Kharlan War…and he might be able to help you cope with your new life…"

Being reminded of that, Lloyd looked at the ground. But before he could dwell on it, he said, "Alright, let's go then!"

He began to walk toward the library, until Kratos put a hand on his shoulder. "Lloyd, it's this way," he sighed, not looking at his son.

"Oh…" Lloyd looked down again as Kratos led him to the Academy.

When they reached the Academy, Lloyd looked up at the building with awe. It was so…_huge_! It was larger than the Palmacosta Academy! He was brought back by a greeting from one of the professors. "Hello, Mr. Aurion. What brings you here?"

"I'm here to see Professor Ridell," Kratos answered in a business-like tone. "Is he free at the moment?"

"Yes, of course," the professor stepped aside. "Go on in."

"Thank you. Come on, Lloyd."

Lloyd and Kratos walked in and Lloyd didn't take much notice of the interior. It seemed so much smaller inside. Kratos led him down a nearby hallway and stopped near an empty classroom, except for one being that Lloyd could sense. He had seen a few angels with similar mana signatures in Welgaia. Kratos had told him that those were the few pureblood elves that had joined Cruxis. Kratos knocked and there was a sigh before footsteps approached. The door opened and standing in the doorway was an elf with waist-length, dark green hair and amber eyes (1). He smiled upon seeing who was there. "Kratos, it's great to see you again." Lloyd was slightly surprised. This man spoke with emotion… He had been expecting the emotionless tone that all angels had, and that Kratos sometimes used.

"Good to see you, too, Sephiran," Kratos smiled slightly. "Lloyd, this is Sephiran Ridell. He has been working here for the past…" he looked at Sephiran questioning, "…century now?"

Sephiran nodded in confirmation. He then turned his gaze on Lloyd. "You are Lloyd? You've grown so much since I last saw you!"

Lloyd finally found his voice again. "You know about me?"

"I saw you when you were still an infant," Sephiran stepped back beckoning them into the classroom. "I tried my best to help your parents when they were running from Cruxis."

Lloyd stared at him. "Wow… So, you used to oppose Cruxis just like Dad?"

Kratos inwardly smiled. Lloyd didn't even hesitate to call him by the title he had always used when referring to Dirk…

"It's not like we support them, now," Sephiran said. "It just doesn't seem like we have any other choice… We are still under almost constant supervision, and _I_ can't oppose Cruxis again without paying for it with my life."

"Oh…" Lloyd was suddenly sorrowful again.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to everything that's happening," Sephiran said. "And you won't be in this alone."

Lloyd smiled, comforted by that fact…

**Raine's group…**

They had finally gotten to Sybak after a week's travel from Meltokio. And decided it was best to get some proper rest at the inn before continuing to the Academy. "Zelos," Raine said to the perveted red-head, "where is the inn?"

"Right over there, my lovely Professor!" Zelos pointed to a three-story building not far from the entrance. The words 'Campus Cottage' were emblazoned in bronze right above the brown door.

"Alright, let's rest there for the night," Raine said, looking at the setting sun. "It will be night soon, anyway."

"Okay," Genis nodded slowly. "We can go to the Academy tomorrow."

"I hate…this city…" the monotonous voice of Presea drifted to them. Everyone looked at her, as her emotionless eyes seemed to plead, "Hurry…to Ozette…"

"Don't worry, little one," Zelos assured her. "Once we're done here we'll take you straight to Ozette."

Little did they know that three angels of Cruxis slowly approached, two of which were familiar to them…

* * *

Adriannu255: I know I'm horrible! I keep you waiting for months and then leave you with a cliffhanger… Sorry! Please review, and go vote in the poll if you want to see more updates soon!

(1) I wasn't originally going to put him in here, but I wanted Lloyd to have someone, other than Kratos, to help him start to feel more comfortable in Cruxis...


	6. Chapter 6

Adriannu255: Nothing much to say except enjoy chapter six!

Disclaimer: Same.

* * *

Chapter 6

After spending some time with Sephiran, Kratos decided that he and Lloyd should return to Derris-Kharlan before Yggdrasil became suspicious of their absence.

"I will be heading back to Cruxis within a few days," Sephiran said quietly to Kratos and Lloyd. "I received orders to return soon, so…"

Kratos nodded. "We'll see you in Derris-Kharlan soon. Take care until then, Sephiran. Let's go, Lloyd."

"Alright," Lloyd said. "Nice meeting you, Sephiran."

"It was nice to see you again, Lloyd," Sephiran smiled slightly. "Just remember, you're not alone in Cruxis."

- - -

Genis stopped when he saw a flash of red just outside the window of the room he shared with Zelos at the Campus Cottage. He looked out and gasped. It was Lloyd! He was with Kratos and someone else who was an elf, judging by his mana signature. But…why were they here in Sybak? Wasn't Lloyd Cruxis' prisoner or something? Then, what Raine said after waking up in the Renegades' base came back to him: _"Since Kratos is more than likely Lloyd's father, it is very possible that Lloyd is still alive, but that also gives us the possibility that he could be a member of Cruxis… They probably told Lloyd that we're dead, and hearing that your friends are dead is enough to break anyone's resolve."_

_Oh-no…_ Genis despaired. He looked at the three males as Kratos and Lloyd neared the entrance/exit to the city and the elf turned and headed back in the direction they came from. Lloyd seemed…content with them. And there was something different about him… His mana signature was different. It was still the signature of a human, but it was the same as Kratos'. _I need to tell Raine quickly!_

With that Genis dashed from the room, hearing Zelos' surprised voice call, "Whoa! Where're you goin', Brat?!"

- - -

Raine was sitting in the room she shared with the two, lifeless girls. She was simply staring at the wall across from her bed. _After we're done here, maybe it would be a good idea to try and see if Lloyd is in Tethe'alla… It is possible that, if he is able, Kratos will bring him here in order for him to see both worlds…_ Someone began knocking frantically on the door. She walked over and quickly opened it to find Genis standing there looking at her wide-eyed. Without giving her a chance to ask what was wrong, he blurted out, "I just saw Lloyd! He just left the city with Kratos!"

Raine stumbled back from shock, and stuttered before managing, "Lloyd…" She simply stood in shock at receiving the news like this, as Genis tried to persuade her that they needed to go and make sure that Lloyd knew they were alive.

- - -

**Derris-Kharlan…**

"You've finally returned," Yggdrasil stood as Kratos and Lloyd knelt before him. "I was beginning to think you had…" he trailed off, knowing he didn't have to finish that statement.

"I am sorry for the delay, Lord Yggdrasil," Kratos said as he and Lloyd stood from their kneeling positions. "I thought it would be a good idea to let Lloyd meet Sephiran. They were very close before the…Iselia Forest." He looked away from the leader uncomfortably.

"Well, that is certainly no problem," Yggdrasil nodded. "How much of your training have you completed, Lloyd?"

Lloyd looked the angel in the eye. "I've mastered Lightning and Wind Blade, and getting close to mastering Stone Blast and Fire Ball. I can fly relatively well, and my sword skills are improving, Lord Yggdrasil." _What the…? I didn't even have to think about addressing him that way. I think I'm getting a little _too_ comfortable with this._

"Very good," Yggdrasil nodded again. "I would like the two of you to stay here on Derris-Kharlan a while longer before going back to Tethe'alla. That is all, you may leave."

Lloyd was about to question why he wanted them to stay on Derris-Kharlan, but a warning look from Kratos shut his mouth for him.

- - -

**Sybak, the next morning…**

Raine woke up and robotically set about getting ready to go to the Academy. She had been able to convince Genis that going after Lloyd the day before was too big of a risk, as Kratos would probably take Colette if he saw them. Genis accepted this, _"but it doesn't mean I have to like it,"_ he had said.

Raine led Presea and Colette downstairs to where Genis and Zelos were eating breakfast. "Ready to go?" she asked them.

"You're not gonna eat, Sis?" Genis asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Raine said emotionlessly. "We need to hurry," _so that we can start searching for Lloyd._ She knew that he and Kratos would have to return to Tethe'alla sooner or later.

Zelos said nothing, instead swallowing the rest of his coffee, and Genis practically inhaling the rest of his eggs and milk. They all left the inn, and silently went to the Academy.

"Yo, there should word from Meltokio!" Zelos said exuberantly to the professor at the entrance.

"Of course, Chosen," the professor allowed them entrance and they walked in to meet with the lead professor of the Cruxis Crystal research, Professor Ridell.

"I'm telling you, this guy is great," Zelos said as he led them through the hallways. "He's an elf," Raine and Genis both felt their hearts stop for a moment, "who's been working here for over a century now, but he did say he was leaving sometime soon, so it's a good thing you guys got here when you did." Zelos laughed slightly as he continued, "They say the last time he left he was gone for six years before he showed up again. The only reason he's still allowed to work here is because he's smarter than anyone else here."

"That's very impressive," Raine tried to sound normal, but struggled slightly, knowing that she and her brother were going to be ratted out the moment they met this elf.

Zelos stopped outside a lab where Raine could sense the mana signature of the elf, although it did seem a little odd. _It's different,_ she thought as Zelos proceeded to knock.

- - -

Sephiran stopped his work when there was a knock at the door. He looked up and knew immediately it was the Chosen Zelos, bringing Sylvarant's Chosen to find out what was wrong with her. What surprised him were the two half-elves, and another human with them. He hadn't received any other information on who the two Chosen were with, so he wasn't expecting this. _Interesting…_ He knew that what would happen if they knew those two were half-elves so decided not to comment on it as he opened the door. "Chosen Zelos," he nodded in greeting to the red-head.

"Professor Ridell," Zelos nodded back. Everyone walked in as Sephiran closed the door. "So got any answers for us?"

"Straight and to the point, for once?" Sephiran questioned. "It must be the end of the world."

Genis actually laughed while Raine smiled, amused. Zelos frowned slightly, but shook off the joke/insult like he was used to it.

"But, yes, I do," Sephiran stated to them. And proceeded to explain Colette's problem.

* * *

Adriannu255: Well this will be it until I get half-way through _A Prince's Journey_. Sorry but I must keep to my promise. I will get back to this as soon as I am allowed, and it should not be too long. Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Adriannu255: (cautiously enters) I'm sure everyone wants to kill me… I suppose I owe you guys an explanation, huh? Well here it is: Shortly after finishing the latest chapter for _A Prince's Journey_, I lost my flash drive which had _every single chapter _I was in the process of writing, for all my stories. So, I have been working on retyping those along with getting ready for college. This is also gonna be the last time I will be seen around here for a while… I have to really concentrate on studying for the time being. So sorry, but I will try to make this longer than the others as my apology.

Disclaimer: I do not own ToS. If I did, my best friend and I wouldn't be writing stories…

Also, there will be a lot of switching between Lloyd and Kratos, and Raine's group. Finally, on another note, I have recently discovered that Tales of the Abyss is very addicting, so if I accidently type a spell or other arte from Abyss instead of Symphonia (such as Splash instead of Spread) please let me know, and I will try to get around to fixing that.

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7

**Derris-Kharlan…**

"Dad?" Lloyd asked as he and Kratos neared Kratos' room, which they would be sharing for the time being.

"What is it?" Kratos asked as the door opened.

Lloyd waited until they were inside and the door had closed before speaking. "Why do you think Yggdrasil told us to stay up here for now?"

Kratos sighed, troubled. "I don't know. Perhaps the Chosen has been sighted in Tethe'alla and he doesn't want to take the chance of us turning on him by helping her."

"Us?" Lloyd lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "As in, including you?"

Kratos smiled slightly. "You should know, Lloyd, I could never truly fight against you. What happened in the Tower of Salvation was just an act. If things had gone differently, if Yggdrasil had not shown up, I would have let the Renegades rescue you and your friends."

Lloyd smiled, slightly. "Thanks, Dad."

"Now," Kratos spoke up again after a short silence. He tossed a thick book, titled Basics of Magic at Lloyd. "You should read this. It will greatly help in your magic training."

Lloyd stared at the book in horror. "Oh man…" _Dad can be just as ruthless as Professor Sage…_

**Sybak…**

"So, if Colette had a key crest, she would return to normal?" Raine asked, once Sephiran had finished his explanation.

"She would be in full control of the crystal, yes," Sephiran stated with a nod. "But it would most likely take a few days for her to start showing any signs of improvement." Sephiran hesitated before adding, "It would also be a good idea to watch her 24/7. We do not know the full details of what could happen to her, and therefore, we also do not know of any adverse effects of equipping the crest." _Except for the possibility of developing Chronic Angelus Crystallus Innoficium…_ he added mentally."Of course, all of this information is pretty much useless to you, unless you can get the inhibitor ore and the skills of a dwarf needed to make it in the first place." Sephiran turned away from the group to his desk to hide his pained expression. He hated the fact that he couldn't help them anymore than that… He wanted to keep the Chosen out of Cruxis' hands for as long as he could.

Raine sighed as Genis looked at the floor, muttering sadly, "If only Lloyd was with us… He could probably make the crest for us…"

Sephiran stiffened immediately when he heard Genis say Lloyd's name. _Could they be…?_ "I'm sorry," he said, turning back to the half-elf, "but what did you just say?"

"Huh?" Genis looked up confused. Then, he averted his eyes back to the floor. "Oh, I was just thinking about a friend of ours who has the skills… Lloyd… He was kidnapped-" Genis stopped as he looked back at Sephiran. Thinking about Lloyd brought back the memory of what he saw yesterday: Lloyd and Kratos in the city speaking to an elf-that elf being Sephiran! "Where is Lloyd?" Genis growled out angrily.

Sephiran's eyes widened ever so slightly, but he kept his expression as neutral as he could through his shock. _Yggdrasil lied to Lloyd and Kratos. I have to inform them that their companions are still alive! But what am I supposed to tell _them_?_

Yggdrasil's voice suddenly jumped through Sephiran's mind. **"Return to Derris-Kharlan immediately, Sephiran. You know what will happen if you tell them where Lloyd is."** A brief, yet searing, pain flashed through Sephiran's body.

Sephiran let out a pained sigh. **"As you wish, Lord Yggdrasil."**

As this took place, Raine put her hands on Genis' shoulders to keep him from attacking the researcher. "Genis, what are you talking about? How could he know where Lloyd is?"

Genis looked at her desperately. "Raine, I saw him yesterday. He was with Lloyd and Kratos. He could be a member of Cruxis."

Raine's eyes immediately hardened. She looked at Sephiran, who refused to meet her eyes. "Is this true? Do you know where Lloyd is?"

"…I am terribly sorry," Sephiran said, as he finally looked at her with genuine sadness. "I cannot say…" A flash of light blinded the group, when it cleared, Sephiran hovered above them his white, bird-like wings revealed. "I wish it did not have to come to this." He warped away as soon as they drew their weapons. He couldn't afford to reveal himself to the humans in Sybak.

**Derris-Kharlan…**

Sephiran opened his eyes and was met with the harsh stare of Mithos Yggdrasil. "My lord," Sephiran knelt down to the younger angel.

"You are pushing the limits of my patience with you, Sephiran," Yggdrasil growled out. "But since your advice to the Chosen's group will not hinder us too much, I will let this little 'slip-up' go. But if you take another step out of line, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Sephiran closed his eyes. "I understand, my lord…" His voice shook slightly with fear.

**Meanwhile…**

Kratos sat on his bed polishing Flamberge, when he suddenly heard a snore from behind. Sighing, he turned around and saw Lloyd sound asleep, his head face down on Basics of Magic. _I suppose the crystal can't prevent falling asleep from boredom…_ He walked to the sleeper silently and jerked his head up. "Read. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can get back to training."

Lloyd sighed as he was rudely awakened from his wonderful dream. "Ugh…"

**Sybak…**

"What the…?" Zelos stared dumbly at the place where Sephiran had disappeared from. "What just happened here?"

"We just met an angel of Cruxis! That's what!" Genis was close to shouting.

"Genis, be quiet!" Raine whispered harshly. "But his presence here greatly worries me." She turned to look at the male Chosen. "Zelos, do you know if anyone here knew about his true nature."

"Dunno," Zelos replied with a shrug, "but not likely considering what-"

"The stupid Chosen has a point for once!" a voice familiar to all but Presea interrupted Zelos. They all looked around confused. Then, there was a puff of smoke to their left and Sheena appeared with Corrine. "Any luck in finding Lloyd? Found any leads?"

While Zelos began eyeing Sheena's chest, Raine made her way over to the ninja and quietly explained what had happened since she had left them in Meltokio. Sheena gasped when she heard about Sephiran. "A Cruxis angel working as a researcher _here_? Why?"

Raine sighed. "Well, he _was_ the researcher in charge of studying the Cruxis Crystal. Perhaps he was sent to make sure their research didn't progress too far?"

Zelos jumped in. "My dear Professor, why would this…Yggdrasil was it? Why would this Yggdrasil guy want to hinder Cruxis Crystal research? It's not as if they were doing any harm to Cruxis."

Raine turned to him. "Well, it's the only explanation I can think of at this moment."

"Maybe he was acting as a 'watcher' of sorts for Cruxis?" Sheena asked, sounding unsure.

Raine thought this over. "…It's a definite possibility… But we should move on. Speculating over the presence of an angel here will get us nowhere."

"Do you think we can trust the information he gave us?" Genis asked with a forced calmness.

Raine thought back to what Sephiran said before fleeing: **"I wish it did not have to come to this."** Raine sighed. _Why can't anything be simple anymore?_ "Throwing all bias aside, he seemed sincere enough in his information. What really baffles me, though, is that he gave us information to help us against Cruxis. The treatment he explained for Colette is similar to what Lloyd told us about the key crests and exspheres. And he also suggested keeping Colette constantly under watch. That would make it just a bit more difficult for Cruxis to take her away. It sounded like he was being forced when he left. But then again that could have been an act to make us drop our guard and leave us open to deception once more…"

"Why don't we stay here for the night?" Sheena suggested. "Tell me everything he told you and I'll looked into it myself. How's that sound?"

"Sheena, thank you…" Raine sighed, relieved. "Come on." And with that the group headed for the inn. Though they were concerned for Lloyd, they knew that they had to cure Colette before she was completely lost to the Cruxis Crystal.

**Derris-Kharlan…**

"How much have you read, Lloyd?" Kratos walked over to look over Lloyd's shoulder.

"I'm about half-way through," Lloyd said bored.

Kratos sighed. "I suppose that's enough for today. "You can finish tomorrow. Take a break."

Lloyd stood up stretching as someone unexpected came into the room…

Lloyd and Kratos looked at the angel before them and spoke in unison. "Sephiran?"

* * *

Adriannu255: Well, as I stated before, the updates (if any) will be few and far between for a while as college (and work) will be taking up most of my time. I will try to type when I have time, but don't get your hopes up. So please tell me what you think and as always constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.

God bless!


	8. Chapter 8

Adriannu255: I'm so sorry about the long wait! College and work have been taking up all my time. I'm finally on my winter break so hopefully I will be able to throw in two (or three if I'm _very_ lucky) updates before spring term starts! I now have a general idea of where I want to go with this so I _shouldn't_ get the dreaded writer's block! Yay! :D But, now here is the long awaited chapter eight! (Huh? Only eight chapters? …I really need to work on this…_fast_…)

Note: In case anyone has forgotten, **bold text is flashbacks**.

Disclaimer: Look, if I owned ToS, I certainly wouldn't be making minimum wage!

* * *

Chapter 8

Sephiran smiled brightly at Kratos and Lloyd. "I just came by to let you know that Yggdrasil called me back early. He has also ordered me to assist in training you in magic, Lloyd."

Lloyd tilted his head in confusion. "Why? What's wrong with Dad teaching me?"

"Nothing is wrong with it," Sephiran shook his head, "it is simply because I am an elf and, because of that, have a better understanding of spells and mana than any human – no offense, Kratos." Kratos waved it off silently. "With my instruction, you may be able to learn spells even quicker. Of course, Kratos will still train you in the way of the sword."

Lloyd sighed. "Great… Two teachers… As if one wasn't enough…"

"Stop complaining," Kratos and Sephiran ordered in unison.

Lloyd groaned, "See? That's what I'm talking about!"

Raine watched as Sheena thought over everything. "Alright, I'll send a message to the Vice-Chief with everything you've told me. Corrine!"

"You got it, Sheena!" the little fox-like spirit chimed and immediately disappeared to deliver the message.

"I'll stay with all of you and help you search for a dwarf," Sheena said resolutely. "I'm supposed to observe you for now anyway."

"Now two people are keeping tabs on us?" Genis asked wide-eyed. "What in the name of Martel is making you people so paranoid?"

Sheena and Zelos looked at each other, then turned back to Genis and answered together. "It's because you're Sylvaranti."

Genis walked to his bed, grumbling about "stupid Tethe'allans." Raine sighed and began to leave the boys' room with Sheena, Colette, and Presea. "I will come wake you two up early tomorrow morning, alright?" She looked pointedly toward Zelos.

He matched her look with a smirk, which quickly faded when her expression remained the same. "Fine, fine…" he groaned sadly.

Raine muttered a quick "good night" before closing the door.

Yuan opened the double doors leading to Yggdrasil's throne room. "You wished to speak with me, Lord Yggdrasil?" he asked upon entering.

"Ah, Yuan," the resident megalomaniac said with a smirk. "You received my message about our newest member, I take it?"

"Yes, my lord. So, Kratos' son survived?"

"Apparently, yes. And he is the reason I have called you here."

Yuan looked at Yggdrasil, rather confused. "He is, my lord?"

"Yes. Lloyd's friends are still alive and, currently, wandering Tethe'alla. Lloyd, of course, does not know this. He believes only the Chosen is alive and his friends are dead."

Yuan nodded silently. This was old news to him. He had met up with the group nearly a month ago…

**Yuan and Botta turned as the door opened and the Chosen's group entered. "You're finally awake," Yuan stated.**

**"****So," the half-elven woman, Raine, began, "you are the Renegades?"**

**"****Correct," Yuan answered. "We are an underground resistance dedication to fighting the Desians, or rather the Cruxis."**

**"****Then, that means that Lloyd is…?" Yuan turned his attention to the younger half-elf, Genis.**

**"****Yes, Lloyd is now in the hands of Cruxis. You do not need to worry about him, though. I highly doubt that Yggdrasil will harm him." _The last thing I need is a hysteric thirteen-year-old on my hands._ He tried to assure Genis as best as he could. "Kratos will not allow Yggdrasil to harm Lloyd…" he trailed off, wondering if he had already revealed too much. **

**Raine's eyes narrowed a little. "Does this have anything to do with Lloyd's **_**father**_**, perhaps? Yggdrasil did mention that he at least knew who the man was."**

**Yuan sighed heavily. "That is none of your concern. I know Lloyd's father, as well, and Kratos will do all he can to reunite them. Lloyd will be perfectly safe, I assure you." Although the half-elves and Sheena didn't look relieved, Yuan could see their bodies relax slightly. He turned toward Botta and nodded.**

**"****You want to cure the Chosen, I presume?" Botta asked.**

**"****Yes!" Genis immediately answered. "Is there any way we can get Colette back?"**

**"****If you go to Tethe'alla, you may be able to find help there." Botta continued without hesitation, "They have done research on the Tethe'allan Chosen's Cruxis Crystal at the Imperial Research Academy. They just might know of a way to reverse the changes it has brought on your Chosen."**

**"****But won't they need permission from the King to be allowed to go there?" Sheena worriedly spoke up. "We have the greatest threat to Tethe'alla's continued prosperity with us. The King and the Pope would not hesitate to order her immediate execution!"**

**"****I will give you a letter to show the King and Pope, explaining your unfortunate situation. King Tethe'alla should give his permission without much trouble. And I will give you permission to use our Rheairds in order to pass through the dimensional rift to Tethe'alla."**

**Raine thought silently for a long moment before nodding. "That would be very helpful…um…" She looked at him questioningly.**

**"****Yuan, leader of the Renegades," Yuan answered, bored, "and this is my second-in-command, Botta." **

**"****Thank you for your help, Yuan," Raine sighed.**

**"****If you would like, you may stay here at our base to rest before leaving. You were all badly wounded in the Tower of Salvation."**

**The three of them looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. "We will leave tomorrow morning. We do not know how long we have before Colette is lost to us forever."**

**"****Very well, it's your choice. Botta, show them around so that they do not get lost."**

**"****Yes, sir!"**

**The next morning…**

**"****Okay, you should have enough power to reach Meltokio before the Rheairds lose power," Yuan explained as he checked the fuel gauge on each Rheaird. "After that, you will have to travel on foot. Unless one of you just so happens to have a pact with Volt, Summon Spirit of Lightning?" Sheena visibly flinched when he spoke the Spirit's name, but he didn't bother asking why. It was not necessary for him to know.**

**"****Well, there is nothing we can do about that, right now," Raine said. "Our first priority is to cure Colette. We will plan our next move after that."**

**Yuan sighed. "Right. Here is the letter to give to His Majesty. Just tell him it is from Yuan Ka-Fai and he will see you, no questions asked."**

**Raine took the letter and tucked it securely into an inside pocket of her jacket. "Once again, Yuan, thank you. I will repay this favor one day."**

**As she and the others got on the Rheairds, Yuan quickly spoke up, "There is actually something I would like for you to do, in return for this…" He intentionally put hesitancy into his voice; it would not do to let her know that he had planned it this way ever since he heard about Lloyd's abduction. **

**"****What is it?" **

**"…****If you are able to get Lloyd back, please bring him to me. I could use his help. This is something very important that only he can do." As he finished his request, he looked away, appearing to be worried about her reaction.**

**Raine was silent for a long moment. "…I will leave that decision up to Lloyd. I will simply inform him of your request and give him a choice. Is that satisfactory?"**

**"****Yes, it is," Yuan said as he stepped back. **_**Yes, it is, my dear kinsmen. **_**Very**_** satisfactory, indeed.**_

**They then left to speak with the Tethe'allan King, while Yuan quickly contacted Zelos Wilder. **_**Lloyd Aurion will be mine no matter your decision, **_**Professor**_**.**_

"Yuan! Are you listening?" Yggdrasil's voice cut through the memory like a whip.

Yuan flinched slightly. "Forgive me, Lord Yggdrasil. I must have spaced out. What did you say?"

Yggdrasil sighed in irritation. "I said that you are to get rid of Lloyd's friends, including those two half-elves. They are traitors to us and our kinsmen. And also, bring both of the Chosen to me. Understood?"

It was a miracle that Yuan had been able to hide his alarm at being given this mission. "My lord," he spoke carefully, using his Crystal to deaden his emotions, "why are you giving me this assignment? Surely Sephiran would be able to carry it out just as effectively…?"

Yggdrasil's eyes became slits as they narrowed more than Yuan thought was possible. "Sephiran met those inferior beings when they arrived at the Imperial Research Academy. They found out that he is an angel and he has shown that, if given the slightest chance, he will help them in whatever way he can. I would give Kratos this task, but he would tell Lloyd about them if I did. You are the only one I can trust to keep this between just the two of us. Am I understood, Yuan?

Yuan remained silent for a few seconds that felt like an eternity, before finally replying, "…Yes, my lord. I completely understand."

"Good. Dismissed."

Yuan didn't hesitate to leave, and walked as calmly as he could to the doors. As soon as he exited the Tower of Salvation in Tethe'alla, he pulled out his communicator. "Wilder, we have a _very_ large problem on our hands…"

* * *

Adriannu255: Well, I think that turned out okay. I'm sure I could have done better (like add some oyako fluff between Lloyd and Kratos), but I really wanted to post this _now_. Think of it as my little Christmas gift to all of you! Thank you all for being so patient (at least, I hope…) with me and my slow updates (college is evil)! Please review, but as of right now, _flames are welcome_! They will be used to keep me warm all throughout winter, and constructive criticism and any other comments shall be loved and cherished! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my dear readers!

God Bless


	9. Notice

**IMPORTANT! MUST READ!**

Alright, readers! I will be taking a reluctant break from fanfiction reading and (regrettably) writing. College has started back and I must concentrate on that. Taking four classes and working seven hours a week is going to require my undivided attention. Classes end on May 7th, so that is when I will come back to writing my stories. I know that most of them (_Altered_ in particular) have not been updated in forever and I am very sorry… Until then, have a wonderful next few months! Once again, I am extremely sorry…


	10. Chapter 9

Adriannu255: Sorry for the lateness of this update. I've been spending most of my time replaying ToS to refresh the storyline in my head, working, and sleeping. I only managed to finish this chapter is because I've been feeling sick for the past two days and had nothing better to do while I tried to rest.

And my keyboard keeps screwing up! Stupid laptop… *bangs head against wall* Well, onto the story! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, or any of its locations, characters, monsters, etc… but a girl can dream…

Chapter 9

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**Sybak…**

Zelos quietly exited the inn, wondering why Yuan was contacting him at this ungodly hour. The sun had not even begun to make its appearance in the eastern sky. He pulled the communicator Yuan had given him months back.

"What is it, Yuan?" Zelos asked irritably.

"We have a serious problem on our hands," Yuan replied.

"Since when is a problem _not_ serious with you?"

"Stop asking questions and listen, Wilder!" Yuan's voice was close to shout.

Zelos sighed, "Fine, I'm listening."

Yggdrasill has ordered me to kill Lloyd's friends and bring both you and Sylvarant's Chosen to him," Yuan sounded extremely distressed over this development; this was a first for Zelos.

"Why are you telling me this? Why not obey your 'master'? It'll make things a hell of a lot easier for me."

"That little brat is _not_ my master," the half-elf's voice held a very dangerous edge to it, telling Zelos to back off _immediately_.

Zelos took the hint. "Whatever you say, boss."

"_Anyway_," Yuan pushed on quickly, "we need to accelerate our plans. Here is what I need you to do…" Zelos listened silently and intently…

**Derris-Kharlan…**

"Again!" Sephiran ordered emotionlessly. "Why don't you actually _hit_ me this time!"

"I've never tried to hit a moving target with magic! Give me a break, sheesh!" Lloyd panted, completely exhausted.

Sephiran's gaze softened as he took in Lloyd's mana level. _It would seem I pushed him a little too hard._ He approached as Kratos knelt next to Lloyd

"I'm sorry for pushing you so hard. I have never trained a human in using magic, so I simply used the same techniques I used when training elves," Sephiran said, not meeting their eyes. "Forgive me."

"It's alright," Lloyd said in relief as he rested on his knees.

"That's enough for today," Kratos said firmly. "Get some rest, for tomorrow."

"Ugh," Lloyd could only groan as Kratos and Sephiran led him back to his room to rest.

**Sybak…**

"You want us to _WHAT_?" Sheena screamed the last word as the red-haired Chosen finished his suggestion. Without waiting for a response, the Kunoichi continued, "I'm not doing it, Zelos! Besides, the only way to reach the Lightning Temple is by boat or air. We don't have a boat and the Rheairds are out of fuel."

"Which is why we should go to the Elemental Research Lab in Meltokio and see if we can use the Elemental Cargo they've been working on, my dear ninja chick," Zelos replied smiling charmingly. That earned him a shriek and several slaps, punches, and kicks.

Genis watched the exchange with a mixture of interest, amusement, and confusion. "I like where this is going!" He piped in. "It's nice to see someone teaching him a lesson!" Genis winced slightly at Zelos' shouts of "Not the face!" cutting through the formerly peaceful atmosphere.

Raine just hummed distractedly, glancing at her soulless student. _Colette, if only you were actually here now. We could all use your ever cheerful attitude, now more than ever…_

"Raine?" Genis asked worriedly, placing his hand on her lower arm.

Raine looked at her little brother and smiled reassuringly. She opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped by Sheena. "Fine! We'll go see if we can borrow the Elemental Cargo from the Elemental Research Lab."

"…You could have done that without attacking me…" Zelos whimpered from a corner in a bloody heap.

"I want to go home…" Presea suddenly spoke up from Genis blushed as he spoke. "D-don't worry, P-P-Presea! We-we'll take you h-home s-soon!"

Raine walked over to Zelos and began to heal his injuries, inflicted by Sheena. "Yes, Presea, just wait a little longer. We'll get you home, I promise." She looked at her lovesick brother. "Genis, close your mouth and stop staring at Presea. It's rude."

Genis quickly shut his mouth and looked away, blushing even more.

Unfortunately, no one noticed the slight flinch Colette's lifeless form made and the way her eyes regained a small fraction of their former light…

**Derris-Kharlan…**

Yuan approached Kratos' room slowly and cautiously. He knew this wasn't a smart choice on his part, but he had to make sure that Lloyd didn't remember him from Triet a few months back, or Hima around a month give or take a few days, ago. He stopped as Sephiran exited Kratos' room. Yuan watched as the smile Sephiran wore faded as the door closed. The elf glanced in Yuan's direction but didn't give any indication that he noticed him as he walked by. Yuan waited until Sephiran was out of sight before proceeding to his destination. He knocked on the door quietly. The door slid open and Kratos stood there, he eyes widened a fraction before returning to their normal emotionless state.

"Yuan," Kratos stated simply. "What are you doing here? Should you not be in Sylvarant or Tethe'alla trying to track down where the Renegades have taken the Chosen?"

"Actually, Kratos," Yuan replied, smirking slightly, "I came to see if it's true that Lloyd has joined us. And to ask a favor of you."

Kratos closed his eyes and sighed quietly. Nevertheless, he stepped to the side allowing Yuan to come in. Yuan saw a figure clothed in red and dark gray lying on the bed. That could only be one person…

"Lloyd," Kratos spoke to his son.

The young half-angel sat up wearily, his brown-red eyes opening to look at the two Seraphim. As he looked at Yuan, he tilted his head slightly and spoke quietly, "Hey, haven't I seen you somewhere before?"

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Adriannu255: Don't kill me! I'm working on chapter ten whenever I get a chance. I'll try to finish it as quickly as I can! BTW, has anyone hard when the third ToS OVA arc is coming out? I just recently watched the Tethe'alla arc and can't wait for the next! Please review!


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